Key-holder latch.



E. BIRKLE, JR. KEY HO'LDER LATGH.

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EDWARD BIRKLE, JR.., 0F ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

KEY-HOLDER LATCH.

Specifieation of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 12, 1911.

Patented. Mar. 11, 1913.

Serial No. 620,687.

To all 'whom. it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD BmKLn, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing at 2002 Salisbury street, in the city of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Key-Holder Latoh, of which the following is the specification.

This invention relates to improvements in a key holding device and has for its object a slotted member arranged to contact with the key, holding the same in a position so that the key can not be removed from its position in the lock from the outside.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device having a toothed recess on its one end which contacts with the key, the said device held in a set position by means of a screw secured to the door, the opposite end of the device being also recessed and to be used as a wrench for applying the screw in its proper position to the door.

Figure 1 is a plan view of my invention showing the same in its operative position with the key of a door lock. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same showing the door in section.

In carrying out my invention I provide a member 3 preferably stamped out of a strip of sheet material having an elongated shank 4.- provided with an elongated slot 5, both ends of the shank terminating to enlarged, curved portions 6 and 7, the portion 6 provided with a V-shaped recess 8, the surfaces thereof being serrated or provided with teeth 9, the portion 7 having a recess 10 which acts as a wrench so that the screw 11 can be inserted or screwed into the door 12 or wood work of the casing by applying the wrench against the nut 13 of the screw which in this instance the said nut is rigidly secured, and terminating from the nut is a tapered screw-threaded port-ion 14 which enters the wood work as shown in Fig. 2.

nut 16; between these two nuts is located and rigidly supported the key supporting member, and by the manipulation of the nuts on the screw the member can be located at any suitable position close to or away from the door so as to accommodate the projecting end of the key, thus the same will accommodate short and long keys.

The object of forming serrations or teeth 9 on the edges of the material forming the recess 8 is so that when the same is brought in contact with a round surface or shank of a key the same acts in relation to the shank as a pipe wrench would and thus prevents the key from turning.

The device is held rigid when once set in position by tightly screwing down the thumb screw 16 thereby clamping the device between the two screws and the head of the key when in position as shown in Fig. l will be held rigid and the same can not be removed from the outside.

The device is simple in construction and can be readily and easily applied.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim is:

A device of the class described comprising a slotted key retaining member, a screwthreaded member adapted to be attached to the door, nuts located on the screw-threaded member between which the key retaining member is supported, the one end of the key retaining member being recessed to contact with the key, the other end recessed to act as a wrench for applying the screw-threaded member to the door, substantially as specified.

EDWARD BIRKLE, J R. Witnesses:

AL. MEYER, HENRY KooH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by, addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C. 

